24
ROWAN
The sun shining through our bedroom window wakes me up. I crack open my eyes and smile when I see Everly’s messy black hair sprawled across my chest.
Last night was the best night of my life.
I knew that I loved Everly weeks ago, but we moved to the next level of our relationship last night.
I’ve wanted her for weeks, but there was no way I was going to push her to have sex when she was trying to heal.
Even if she wasn’t ready to have sex, now, I wouldn’t have pushed.
I was more than content just sleeping beside her every night.
She’s the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. I gently extract myself from under her and tuck her back in. We got up a few times through the night with Hazel, so I want her to get her rest.
I go to the bathroom and then go to check on Hazel.
She’s starting to get a little fussy, so I pick her up and walk into the kitchen to get a bottle ready for her.
Everly isn’t exclusively breast feeding, so I get to feed our little girl every now and then.
Our little girl . That’s what she is. Travis isn’t here and Laura and Russel aren’t taking her away. She’s right where she’s supposed to be.
I heat up a bottle and check the temperature before taking a seat on the couch and watching Hazel suck down her bottle. When she’s finished, I burp her and settle her on my chest. It’s quiet in the house this early in the morning and apparently, we get so comfy that we fall asleep.
I wake up when Everly gently touches my shoulder. She’s smiling down at us. Hazel is sprawled on my chest, her eyes closed as she sleeps.
“Good morning,” I mumble as I rub my hand down Hazel’s back.
“Morning,” Everly says before leaning down to kiss me. “Do you want breakfast?”
“That would be great,” I say as I sit up. “I’ll get Hazel changed.”
After getting Hazel cleaned up, we go back into the main room. I set Hazel in her swing and then go into the kitchen to help Everly finish breakfast. We move around each other with ease. An ease I’ve never felt with anyone else before. When our food is done, we sit at the small island to eat.
We eat in silence but when we’re finished, Everly speaks up. “Why do you think she did it?”
I reach over and clasp her thigh, giving it a squeeze. “Who knows? From what you’ve told me; she’s an awful mother.”
“She is,” she mutters. “I never thought she would be this awful, though.”
“Have you talked to your dad about it?”
“No,” she admits. “But I should.”
“Call him,” I tell her as I get up to clear the plates. “Maybe he can give us some insight. Maybe he doesn’t even know.”
I hope he doesn’t because I don’t want a reason to hate that man. Everly admires him and loves him, and it would crush her if he knew. Or worse, if he’s involved.